MINNEAPOLIS and COBHAM, UK – Continuing a commitment to be the leading global supplier of specialty polyols to the food and pharmaceutical industries, Cargill and Cerestar Food & Pharma Specialties have expanded manufacturing capacity in Blair, Neb.; Krefeld, Germany; and Castelmassa, Italy.
“We’ve invested over $100 million in our polyol expansion projects around the world during the past year,” said R. Creager Simpson, president of Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties, North America. “We’ve significantly expanded our global presence in specialty polyols, and we are well-positioned to meet future demand growth in the food and pharmaceutical industries,” he said.
The Blair plant expansion adds new polyol hydrogenation and finishing capacity, the first for Cargill in North America. This expansion also includes increased fermentation capacity for erythritol production. The Krefeld and Castelmassa expansions include new hydrogenation and finishing capacity for maltitol, mannitol and isomalt.
Food and confectionery manufacturers are continually searching for ingredients to improve structure, texture, stability and taste in sugar-free and low-calorie products. This trend may gather momentum with the release of the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which recommend Americans monitor their calorie intake. “Cargill’s specialty polyols are key ingredients to help meet these recommendations,” Simpson said.
“Projections indicate the market for sugar-free sweeteners holds considerable potential as consumers demand more reduced calorie foods, and diabetics search for additional options,” said Ron Perko, manager of polyol business development for Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties, North America. “The recent expansion projects give us the capacity to meet growing demand for all of our sugar-replacement products, including isomalt, maltitol, mannitol and erythritol.”
Specialty polyols are used in a wide range of food and pharmaceutical applications such as confectionery, fruit processing, beverages, bakery, dairy and ice cream, convenience foods and tableting. Last year, the company introduced EridexÔ erythritol, an all-natural/non-caloric (0.2 Kcal/g) bulk sweetener that is ideal for reduced calorie and low glycemic load products. Erythritol is approved for food use in the United States, Japan and 15 other countries. Recently, Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium were added to the list of countries granting food approval.
Call Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties, North America toll free at (877) 650 -7080 to learn more about its full line of polyols, fiber-enriched ingredients, food starch and derivative products (maltodextrins, dextrins and corn syrup solids), lecithin, xanthan gum and soy protein.
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Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties, North America, based in Minneapolis, is part of Cargill’s Food System Design initiative, a group of businesses that work with customers to create ingredient solutions for affordable, nutritious, convenient and appetizing consumer products. Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties, N.A. is a business unit of Cargill, an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 105,000 employees in 59 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed. For more information, visit www.cargill.com or http://www.cargillfoods.com.
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